


First Meetings

by RedLlamas



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 1910s, First Meetings, Friendship, Gen, Old Gods, Soldiers, Winter, World War I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 07:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21334708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLlamas/pseuds/RedLlamas
Summary: Bernhold brings logs to Dyre's home, and crosses paths with some German soldiers.
Relationships: Germany & Sweden, Sweden & Åland
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Sweden's name is Bernhold, Germany's is Louis, and Åland's is Dyre Boman

Bernhold was pulling a sled full of logs he'd axed himself over to Dyre's house. They were cold, and they'd offered up the ol' farmhouse to the German soldiers coming in. So, they'd called him up and asked him to bring some firewood, because these boys are just too cold, Bernie, can't you understand?

He's covered from head to toe, the only parts of himself visible being his eyes, nose, and cheeks. His glasses kept fogging over.

About seven or eight miles from the Boman residence, Bernhold hears a commotion behind him. He turns to look behind him, tugging the sled, and sees a gaggle of soldiers walking up the road. There're eight of them, and a scrawny little boy pretending to be a soldier walking after them, trying to catch up with his gangly legs.

He looks so small, standing at the shoulder of the other soldiers, engulfed by his coat. It's so long and large that he's had to tie the belt around twice. The stahlhelm on his head hung down over his eyes, so he had to continuously pull it back or push it up. The backpack he carried slapped against him, so Bernhold guessed it's light, thankfully. This kid didn't seem cut out for war, much less had the age for it, but here he is. The cold made his exposed skin bright pink, and Bernhold remembers when he was young and didn't know about the dangers of the cold yet.

"Herr?" The leader of the soldiers called. Bernhold faced him, leveling a questioning stare at him.

"Deutsch sprechen?"

He nods.

"Do you know the way to the Boman farm?"

"Yes, I'm headed there myself."

The soldier's surprised smile gives him away as another young child. Bernhold feels shame deep down in his soul. They shouldn't be here.

"Could you show us the way?"

"Of course."

Bernhold tugs his sled, and they all march on, towards the Boman farm.

After ten or fifteen minutes, the house can be seen from up on the hill. Bernhold points towards it.

They keep trudging up, and as they near, the door opens to reveal Dyre, wrapping themselves in a coat. Their red hair hurts to look at in the middle of all the snow.

"Dyre, I've got your wood and soldiers here with me," Bernhold calls out, raising his hand in greeting. Dyre smiles at him, and closes the door behind them. They walk down the path to hug Bernhold, and say hello to the soldiers.

"Follow me, I'll show you to your beds," they said, and looped their arm through Bernhold's to lead them all to the barn.

The barn was tall and wide, filled with hay, equipment, everything one would expect to find in a typical farm. But all the machines were pushed towards the walls, to make room for a few cots and mattresses on the floor. There were thick blankets and, as far as Bernhold can tell, fluffy pillows. It was good.

The soldiers easily settled in, all picking a bed for themselves, finally sitting down. Dyre invited them to supper at the house, to which they all happily agreed to.

  


Bernhold expected the soldiers to be rowdy, uncouth, but they seemed to remember their manners. They were, of course, excited to sleep somewhere that wasn't an army barrack, all with the comforts of home, and to eat hot meals by a warm fireplace Bernhold was currently setting up. The leader sent his second to help Bernhold, and the soldier was diligent in his help. Bernhold thought that he must've been a good son. He puts that thought away.

The tiny soldier seems to be standing awkwardly in the hallway, seemingly looking for someone. Bernhold walks up to him, wiping his hands on a rag. He raises an eyebrow at him. The kid seems shy.

"I'm supposed to meet with werter Herr Åland."

Bernhold nods. "You were sent?" By who, the question lingers.

"Yes, by… my boss. And my brother."

Boss? Is this kid a country? Bernhold racks his memory to try to remember any young nation, when what the kid said clicked.

"You're… Germany, no?" Bernhold asked. The kid nodded. Bernhold nodded in turn, motioning for him to follow.

Dyre is in the kitchen most likely, preparing meals for the soldiers. Bernhold looks over at the kid. He's a quiet kid.

"How are you?"

The kid snaps his head up to look at him. "What?"

"How are you… handling things?" He remembers how nerve-wracking he felt in his first years.

"Oh," the kid says, going back to looking at the floor. Bernhold stops before a door and goes to swing it open, when the kid pipes up quietly, "I don't know."

Bernhold's hand doesn't leave the handle.

"That's alright. Every country is confused in the beginning." Here he looks back at the kid. "The good thing is that you have a whole host of other countries to rely on." He doesn't add that that depends entirely on international relations — humans have the pesky habit of getting in the way sometimes.

The kid nods, not entirely satisfied.

Bernhold opens the door, and he can hear Dyre fussing about.

"They're in there, making your food."

"Thank you sir." The kid is still standing there, nervousness apparent in his stance.

"I'll be here, if you have any questions about countries."

The kid looks up at him. "You're… like me?"

Bernhold nods.

At that, the kid brightens up. "Thank you, mister…?"

"Sweden. I'm Bernhold."

The kid gives him a shy smile. "Louis."

Bernhold claps his shoulder, making Louis buckle under the strength of it. Louis then straightens up and heads inside to speak to Dyre.

Bernhold has a feeling that this kid will be alright.


End file.
